Loudspeaker and audio reproduction apparatus

Abstract

A loudspeaker has a pot-shaped permanent magnet having an aperture in its axial pole. A light source in a translucent colored plastic plug is housed in the aperture. The light source is driven in accordance with the frequency and strength of the signal fed to the speaker. A translucent colored membrane or filter is glued to the speaker cone.

I claim: 
     
       1. A loudspeaker comprising a frame and a magnetic circuit including magnet and coil elements, one of the elements of the magnetic circuit being attached to the frame, said one element having front and rear sides and a through bore extending between the front and rear sides, a vibratory sound producing cone having a base and an apex, the base being mounted on the frame, the other element of the magnetic circuit mounted at the apex in proximity to a front side of said one element of the magnetic circuit, a translucent diaphragm permanently attached on an inside surface of the cone between the cone apex and base to cover the cone apex when viewed from the base end, and a light source mounted behind the diaphragm when viewed from the cone base end so the light source illuminates the diaphragm, said one element processing means to enable said light source to be inserted into and removed from said bore from the rear side of said one element. 
     
     
       2. The loudspeaker of claim 1, further including means for varying the brightness of light emitted from the source in response to the frequency and/or volume of a signal applied to the loudspeaker coil element. 
     
     
       3. The loudspeaker of claim 1, wherein the light source is mounted on or near the cone axis. 
     
     
       4. The loudspeaker of claim 1, wherein the translucent diaphragm is a colored filter. 
     
     
       5. The loudspeaker of claim 4, wherein the light source is housed in a translucent colored casing. 
     
     
       6. The loudspeaker of claim 5, wherein the translucent coloured casing comprises a tubular portion having a snug fit in the bore and closed at a first end proximal the front side of the first element, the casing having a peripheral flange portion at a second end opposite said first end, said flange portion bearing against the rear side of the first element. 
     
     
       7. A portable reproducing apparatus including a loudspeaker comprising a frame, a cone having an apex and a base, the cone being mounted at the base of the frame for movement relative to the frame, a coil mounted on the apex of the cone, a permanent magnet mounted on the frame coaxially with the coil, the magnet having a front side facing towards the cone and a through bore connecting the front and rear sides, a translucent diaphragm attached to an inner surface of the cone to cover the apex when viewed from the base, and a light source mounted in the bore of the permanent magnet, the permanent magnet being including means to enable constructed the light source to be removed from and inserted into the bore from the rear side of the magnet. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 7, comprising at least two of said loudspeakers, wherein at least two of the loudspeakers is provided with light sources of different color. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising an array of light emitting diodes, and means for controlling the degree of illumination of the light source and the light emitting diodes in response to the frequency and/or signal strength of an audio signal coupled to the coil. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising plural light emitting diodes of different colors positioned to be viewed with the diaphragm. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the light emitting diodes are arranged around the periphery of the cone of said loudspeaker of the apparatus. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein different light emitting diodes of the array are controlled in response to different frequency ranges and/or signal strengths. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising at least one of an audio tape reproducing apparatus and/or a radio receiver for supplying a signal to the coil.